Meeting for the First Time
by Cat Goliath
Summary: On a rainy day, Juvia met Gray. Although Juvia seemed normal enough, there was something different about her, something that made her different than the other kids. All Gray wanted to do, was see why she was there in the first place. So how did she end up going home with him?


A bright light rushed forth, encasing the little girl in it's embrace before silencing everything around her; forcing the small girl to close her eyes as warmth bloomed from her chest and darkness finally took over.

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Blue eyes streamed with tears as more and more children passed by, not even sparing the blue haired child a second's glance. Rain continued to pour endlessly, the small raindrops pounding against the leaves that shook above the pale skinned child. Pulling her legs against her chest, Juvia continued to wail loudly, wishing for her mom and dad to find her and take the lost girl home.

"Juvia does not like the rain anymore! Where are Mommy and Daddy!" the girl cried, rubbing her tiny fists against her eyes as her body shook from the tears. Hearing footsteps approaching her, Juvia almost immediately calmed down, her sniffles dieing out as she pulled her fists away from her eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of her parents. But the person that approached her wasn't any one of her parents, but a boy that looked around her own age. Dark eyes looked down curiously, the grip on the wood handle umbrella loosening and tightening as he contemplated what to say and do.

Seeing as this boy wasn't her Mommy or Daddy, Juvia began to tear up once more, her cries piercing the boy's ears as he flinched slightly at the sudden cry.

"Juvia wants her Mommy!" With a bit of a panicked look on his chubby face, the dark haired boy pulled out a white doll from his pocket, practically shoving it under the crying girl's face.

"Hey, don't cry. If you stop crying, I'll give you this to hold. You can't keep it though. I'm trying to give it back to the person who left it." Teary eyed, Juvia tried to calm herself as her vision cleared a bit, taking in the white ghost shaped doll before her, it's stitched mouth set in a smile. Letting out a little yell, the girl's tears stopped abruptly as a bright smile spread across Juvia's face.

"Mommy's dollie!" Juvia beamed, hands outstretched as she waited for the boy to drop the doll into her awaiting hands. Wide eyed, the boy shifted his orange jacket before letting the white doll slip from his hold and into the blue haired girl's awaiting hands.

With a thump, the doll fell to the wet ground; looking downward, the doll started to soak in the dirty water before the boy quickly grabbed the doll before more damage could be done. Soaking his white shirt, the boy clutched the doll to his chest, his eyes wide with a bit of fear laced with confusion as he stared at the girl before him. With only the sound of the dripping rain around them, the two kids fell to silence as panic started to creep up their spines.

Juvia looked down at her hands almost fearfully, her whole form trembling as more tears started to leak from her eyes.

"What is happening to Juvia? Mommy's doll never did that before!" Juvia's voice started to raise to hysterics as she lifted her gaze to look into the silent dark haired boy before her. "Why can't Juvia hold Mommy's dollie!" Juvia shouted, choking on her sobs and tears. Juvia began to curl up within herself, her blue eyes shutting as she continued to sob. Cradling her head between her hands, Juvia rocked back and forth as more confusion plagued her young mind. Feeling a bit sorry for the girl before him, the slightly tanned boy crouched down in front of the crying girl and unconsciously placed his small hand on Juvia's quivering shoulder.

Upon feeling a weight on her shoulder, Juvia tried to stifle her tears before looking into kind dark blue eyes.

"It'll be alright. Now, stop your cryin', you're making my ears hurt. Look, I'll just hold this for you, alright. You might not be able to hold it, but at least you won't be apart from it." Juvia started to feel her tears come to a stop as she looked at the boy before her in awe. Feeling so thankful for the boy's kind words, Juvia quickly rose to her feet and jumped to hug the shocked boy.

"You are so nice to Juvia. Thank you!" With his hand clutching the white doll, the boy placed his hands as far away from the girl as he can, flailing about as his face reddened in embarrassment, without a proper hold, his umbrella dropped to the ground.

"Hey! Lemme go!" the boy shouted embarrassed, looking anywhere but at the polkadotted dressed girl currently hugging him tightly.

"Hey, Gray! What are you doing, you droopy eyed loser. You're suppose ta hold the umbrella when it's raining, not drop it!" a pink haired boy of about the same age as the boy and girl taunted, his dark green eyes looking at the dark haired boy with a mix of confusion and uncontrolled humor.

"You're even stupider than I thought, ice for brains." the dark haired boy started to seeth in anger, his movements freezing as he glared at the grinning pink haired boy a few feet from him. Noticing the lack of reaction that once befell the dark haired boy, Juvia lifted her head to peer at the pink haired boy not too far from them.

"Natsu," Gray spat with a frown. "What are yah even doing here, thought yah couldn't stand the rain," Gray taunted back, his arms still held away from Juvia as the pink haired six year old boy began to glare at the awkwardly standing boy before him.

"You shut your mouth, Gray! I just don't like going outside when it rains, not cause I can't stand it! Erza's the one who wanted me ta get you anyways," Natsu shouted, clutching his bright red umbrella angrily. Juvia started getting upset with Natsu's tone, stomping towards the pink haired boy, Juvia moved in closer to the oblivious green eyed child.

"Stop talking to Juvia's friend like that! Gray's going to be Juvia's husband someday and Juvia will not have a meanie like you yell at him like that!" Juvia proclaimed, her cheeks flushed angrily as she moved to push Natsu in the chest. With a strong force, Juvia lunged forward, her small pale hands passing through Natsu's chest almost immediately. Not even giving the girl a glance, Natsu shivered a bit before turning back towards the orphanage behind him.

"Whatever! I'll just tell Erza that you're talking to yourself again!" Natsu shouted before stepping through the large wooden doors of the orphanage he and Gray lived at. As Natsu walked away, Juvia looked down at her hands in shock, why couldn't she hold anything, what was she, could she be... Juvia didn't want to say it, but felt that she had no choice in the matter.

"Is Juvia...a ghost?" Juvia said fearfully before overwhelming sadness started to embrace the young girl in its cold hold. Silently, Gray bent to pick up his discarded umbrella before cautiously walking towards the shaking blue haired girl.

"You mean...they were...right?" Juvia snapped her head towards the equally shocked boy behind her.

"You knew! Gray knew that Juvia was dead and didn't tell her! How can you be so mean to Juvia?" Juvia cried out, thinking Gray was simply toying with her blooming undeveloped feelings. Gray stiffly moved in closer to Juvia, his hand shaky as he slowly placed it atop of Juvia's head.

"I don't get it. You feel solid to me," Gray voiced unattached, stun that what the kids in the orphanage said and teased about was real, that he wasn't actually always talking to real people.

"You mean...Gray didn't know about Juvia?" Juvia asked, her lips still trembling from unshed tears. Silently, Gray nodded in response, clutching the white doll in his hand tightly, staring at Juvia almost unbelievably. Opening his mouth to say something, Gray was interrupted by a loud feminine call.

"You better get inside, Gray! Mr. Makarov said no going outside when it's raining!" A young red haired girl shouted, her hands placed at her hips almost threatening. Stiffening a little, Gray quickly released his hold on Juvia's head and shout a quick response before walking around Juvia and towards the orphanage. Juvia began to cry even more as the reality of her death started to make more of an impact on the young girl. Now, she was truly alone.

"Hey, are you coming or what? Just cause you're dead, doesn't mean you get to be alone in the rain. Common, before Erza gives me a beating," Gray said, offering the girl a hand. Wiping away her tears, Juvia hesitantly grabbed hold of the outstretched hand and let herself get pulled towards the wooden building before them.

"What's your name? Mine's Gray!" Juvia couldn't help but smile at the boy, feeling warmth encircle her very being as they entered the rowdy orphanage.

"Juvia"

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**Day three of Gruvia week! I liked this one a lot! Hope you all did too, or at least tolerated it. Leave me a thought! Thanks for reading! I own nothing!**


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